AN: Bleh, I'm not too fond of this chapter...Although another important character does...Well, I won't give anything away. Thanks tufted titmouse for reviewing! And as for your question, I am planning on writing Wish. I'm just not sure when that time will come. Wish is probably going to be harder since it's just one Clan I'm writing about. The poll is still open for those who are curious! Just go to my profile and you'll see what I mean.

-CHAPTER 48-

The name had come from Kindlefur at one point. Jadestar's mind reeled as she tried to think of the apprentice's name. But it was the sight of his body that had made her eyes widen in shock and horror. Both of his ears looked as though they had been torn. The fur along his tail had been clawed off by another cat. Blood splattered to the ground where his paws were set. Jadestar could only think of what terror this apprentice had gone through while he was in ShadowClan. It reminded her of what Kindlefur had suffered from while he followed his sister around. She shook her head and tried to think of the name that had slipped her mind until now.

Before she could open her mouth Sagefrost took a step forward. His whiskers were trembling in disbelief when he looked at the apprentice. Even Shrewtail's tail was lashing from side to side in frustration. She knew that Shrewtail would have liked to claw the eyes off of the cat that attacked this apprentice. Her ears suddenly pricked forward when memories of how Kindlefur joined ThunderClan crept in. She saw an apprentice weaving his way through the undergrowth to speak with Kindlefur before he left. The apprentice had been smaller at that time-he'd grown twice the size he'd been since that time.

"Wildpaw?" she murmured after pacing around the clearing for several heartbeats. The mottled apprentice lifted his chin when she called out his name. Jadestar narrowed her eyes slightly when her Clanmates looked at her suspiciously. She chose to ignore them and padded forward until her muzzle reached his own. "What in StarClan's name happened to you?" she demanded after Wildpaw stared at her in alarm. Wildpaw's ears flattened when looked him in the eyes.

"Heatherstar thought it would be a good idea to use me as a teaching method," he sputtered. Blood seeped from his mouth when he spoke. "So she sent the kits after me as an example..." His muscles heaved when he thought of what had happened to him. "I ran before they could go for my throat." Jadestar felt bile rising in her throat after he was finished telling her his story. By now the pupils around his eyes grew wider, until only the rim could be seen. He staggered to one side and collapsed in front of Sagefrost, whose ears were pricked forward for signs of danger. The light brown tabby stared at him in alarm when he realized what had happened.

"We need to take him back," she growled. When her Clanmates made no complaints, she picked Wildpaw up gently by the scruff. Shrewtail helped her by carrying Wildpaw's tail, which by now had lost all of its fur. Horror had crept through Jadestar as she thought of what Heatherstar had put this apprentice through. He reminded her of Kindlefur, and she suddenly wondered if Heatherstar had used Wildpaw as a way to hurt her brother. Jadestar wouldn't have surprised herself if that was the case. Heatherstar had more ways of getting to cats than Jadestar had originally thought.

The four of them returned to the hollow unscathed after that. Wildpaw's breathing had become labored when they reached the thorn tunnel. Jadestar knew that there wasn't much time left for him unless Stonebrook could stop the bleeding. She allowed Sagefrost to take the lead so that Stonebrook could discover what had happened before it was too late. Fear for Wildpaw's life suddenly became a strong emotion for Jadestar. She already had a feeling that he wouldn't make it. But she knew that he would never forgive them if they didn't try something.

Stonebrook emerged from the thorn tunnel, eyes bright with panic. Behind her was Ashfang, who carried a bundle of herbs in his jaws. Sagefrost peered between the thorns and nodded to Jadestar as she looked at him in approval. Gently she and Shrewtail placed Wildpaw's body on a pile of leaves that hadn't been covered in snow. Stonebrook sniffed the body carefully before placing paw on his chest. Wildpaw let out a scream of agony that made Jadestar's fur crawl. She knew that cats would wonder where the scream had come from. Her ears were pricked forward for sounds of an approaching patrol that might be returning.

When Ashfang handed Stonebrook the herbs that were needed, the medicine cat shook her head. Dismay crept over Jadestar when she realized what that signal meant. Wildpaw wasn't going to make it. Too much blood and trauma had been lost. The ShadowClan apprentice who had spoken out would die on ThunderClan territory.

She winced when another cat emerged from the thorn tunnel entrance. A pair of wide, panicked-filled green eyes gleamed within the darkness of the tunnel. Kindlefur bounded forward before she could stop him. His fur stood on end when he saw the condition that Wildpaw was in. Nothing could help save Wildpaw now. The wounds that were inflicted upon him were too much for a single cat to bear.

"What happened to him?" Kindlefur demanded as he began to crouch in front of his former Clanmate. After Jadestar had explained what had happened, Kindlefur's eyes narrowed into tiny slits. "I'll flay her for what she did," he spat. "No cat, not even Wildpaw, deserves such treatment."

"I'm sorry," Stonebrook murmured with a shake of her head. "He's gone."

"At least he was able to escape," Shrewtail meowed when his head bowed in sorrow. Jadestar's tail brushed against his flank. She was thankful that he felt sympathetic for ShadowClan's demise. Heatherstar was likely going to be the cause of what would happen to all of ShadowClan.

"We will hold vigil over him tonight," Jadestar whispered once Kindlefur was next to her.

No cat said a thing while Jadestar and Kindlefur took his body back to the hollow. Only wide eyes could react to what Wildpaw had gone through. Dawnlight and Eagleheart stood together, pelts bristling when they looked at the pitiful state. Jadestar had placed Wildpaw's body near the center of the clearing, where all cats could see him. The kind of reaction she expected was one that took place now. All of her Clanmates stared at her in dismay.

"This is what ShadowClan has done!" Jadestar made sure that every cat could hear. She swallowed back the grief that threatened to overwhelm her. "This apprentice was attacked by his own Clanmates for speaking out against their leader. He died a dishonorable blow, one that Heatherstar will pay for!" Yowls of agreement followed her words. Even the elders agreed with her: No cat deserved to live under Heatherstar's rule. "Tonight I will travel to the Moonpool and discuss with StarClan what should be done," she added when the yowls died down. "If a battle is what it must come to, than may we pray that Heatherstar is the one who is killed."

She was quickly joined by Robinflight and Shrewtail, who began to discuss what the situation called for. With leafbare in full swing, a battle could be devastating. Yet she had already known for the time when Kindlefur had joined that Heatherstar would have to be stopped in a battle. The only way to deal with Heatherstar was by fighting against her. ThunderClan was already against her Clan for what they had done in the past.

I'll ask Rainstar and Thistlestar to join us, she decided after mulling over what should be done. More cats would be lost if Heatherstar lived on without question. A cat would need to fight back with all of his or her strength. The Clans would all suffer if they let Heatherstar live. Jadestar knew deep within her heart that the ShadowClan leader would have to die, one way or another.